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Vets report outbreak of equine herpes virus
Vets say the signs were sudden in onset and the owner responded very quickly.

Horse owners urged to be extra vigilant in biosecurity

An outbreak of equine herpes virus (EHV) has been confirmed on the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire border, prompting calls for horse owners to refresh their understanding of the disease.

Confirming the news on their Facebook page, Rossdales Equine Veterinary Practice in Hertfordshire said:  

“There has been a case of the neurological presentation of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) in the North Hertfordshire/South Bedfordshire area of the practice and sadly the horse has died. The yard is quarantined and all measures are being taken to contain this outbreak.

“Presently only this one horse has shown clinical signs. The signs were sudden in onset and the owner and yard responded very quickly. This horse was well last weekend and attended a local competition.”

The practice says it is important for all horse and pony owners to be aware of the outbreak and to be extra vigilant in biosecurity. This should apply both to their own yard and when away from home at competitions.

“Don’t allow your horse to graze or share water troughs, try to avoid direct horse contact and don’t share tack, rugs or equipment,” they add

Equine Herpes Virus is common in the UK and most mature horses will have the infection at some point in their lifetime.


Spread via the respiratory tract, even horses that look healthy can be latent carriers and may also shed the virus. Clinical signs include fever (temperature above 38.5C), incoordination and ataxia.


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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.